Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government has plans to improve animal rights after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by David Rutley
We will maintain and enhance our high animal welfare standards as we leave the EU.
We recently laid legislation to ban travelling circuses from using wild animals and to tackle puppy farming by ending third party sales. We have made CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses and are introducing one of the world’s toughest bans on ivory sales to protect elephants from poaching. Each of these measures goes further than EU rules require.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the annual value was of fruit and vegetables prohibited from sale in the UK for failing to comply with rules on size, shape and general appearance in each of the last five years.
Answered by George Eustice
EU Marketing Standards for fresh fruit and vegetables require that, as a minimum, produce on sale is intact, sound (for example, not rotten, severely bruised or severely damaged), clean, fresh in appearance, practically free from pests and or disease, practically free from damage caused by pests affecting the flesh, free of abnormal external moisture, free of foreign smell or taste, sufficiently developed or ripe, but not overdeveloped or overripe. Other issues related to size, shape or general appearance would not prevent produce being put on sale unless they formed part of industry or retailers’ own standards. Defra does not hold data on the value of such produce withheld from sale in the UK.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to repeal EU legislation on the size, shape and appearance of fruit and vegetables for sale in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
As we prepare to leave the EU, we are looking at removing rules that are unnecessarily burdensome, focusing instead on what works best for the UK. We want to free our farmers to grow more, sell more and export more British food, whilst upholding our high standards for the environment. No decisions have been taken in relation to individual pieces of legislation, including EU Marketing Standards for fresh fruit and vegetables. We will consult widely with all those affected before making any changes.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the effect that the EU's proposed three-crop diversification scheme will have on the UK's farming economy.
Answered by George Eustice
The Common Agricultural Policy’s Greening requirements, which include the crop diversification rule, were implemented in 2015.
As we prepare to leave the EU, we are looking at removing the rules that are unnecessarily burdensome, focusing instead on what works best for the UK. We want to free our farmers to grow more, sell more and export more British food, whilst upholding our high standards for the environment and animal health and welfare.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will seek to delay the EU's proposed three-crop diversification scheme's implementation.
Answered by George Eustice
The Common Agricultural Policy’s Greening requirements, which include the crop diversification rule, were implemented in 2015.
As we prepare to leave the EU, we are looking at removing the rules that are unnecessarily burdensome, focusing instead on what works best for the UK. We want to free our farmers to grow more, sell more and export more British food, whilst upholding our high standards for the environment and animal health and welfare.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on the protection of (a) consumers and (b) the public purse from financial risks in the event that construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel is finished behind schedule.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The Government is providing Tideway, which has responsibility for financing and delivering the Tunnel, with a contingent financial support package for some low-probability but high-impact risks that might arise during construction. These are risks that the private sector is unable or unwilling to cover at an acceptable cost to customers.
If called upon, the Government Support Package (GSP) may provide support in five different scenarios. The statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend, the member for North Shropshire (Owen Paterson) on 5 June 2014 (Official Record, Col. 11WS) gives fuller details of these scenarios. It is important to note that if these risks do not materialise, there will be no cost to the taxpayer. As part of the project’s regulatory and commercial arrangements, Tideway is strongly incentivised to deliver the Tunnel on time and to budget.
The project has an agreed threshold (130% of the original budget) for cost overruns, whether from a delay or otherwise, which is financed by Tideway. The upper end of the current estimated customer bill impact range of £20-£25 per year during the construction phase reflects expenditure at that threshold (if that is reached). If the project is late, the incentives regime applies time-related regulatory adjustments that are borne by the investors.
If the cost threshold is reached then Tideway can apply to Ofwat for an increase in approved expenditure (and therefore customer charges), which Ofwat will determine (but may not necessarily agree) taking into account the estimated cost to complete the project, appropriate incentives, and the cost of the required additional capital based on market conditions at the time. Tideway may also make a call on the GSP for Government equity financing to enable the project to be completed, at which time the Government would become an investor in the project and would have increased rights of oversight until completion of the Tunnel. This would ensure that taxpayers’ interests continue to be protected.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on importing genetically modified organisms after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government will continue to follow a science-based policy on genetically modified organisms, including in relation to imports.